ˈklavə̇kəl, -vēk- noun
( -s )
Etymology: French clavicule, from New Latin clavicula, from Latin, diminutive of clavis key; akin to Latin claudere to close — more at close
: a bone of the vertebrate shoulder girdle typically serving to link the scapula and sternum:
a. : a bone in man situated just above the first rib on either side of the neck and having the form of a narrow elongated S — called also collarbone
b. : a corresponding but rudimentary bone in some of the ungulates and carnivores
c. : one of the two bones fused into the wishbone of a bird
d. : a large crescent-shaped bone under the pectoral fin of many teleost fishes